If you’re travelling in and around London using public transport, the Oyster card is great. Many people don’t realise that it can reduce fares by 50% or more.

To get the card, you pay a refundable deposit of £5 which you get back upon returning the card.

Once you’ve got the card, you can avoid queues full of tourists waiting to buy single fares or travelcards and simply scan your card at the barrier. You then scan the card again at the exit barrier.

When you need to top up your card, you can do so at one of the many Oyster machines at Underground stations or on the TfL website.

Another benefit of the card is that there is a daily cap, meaning that once you’ve spent a certain amount in a day, any additional travel for that day is free. The exact amount of the cap depends on the zones you have been travelling through.

There are even mobile apps available which show your current pay-as-you-go balance along with your journey history and other details.